Condenser apparatus

ABSTRACT

Condenser apparatus for removing moisture from the air including a housing for the condenser apparatus, which housing has both a cooling liquid inlet and an air inlet at one end. Within the housing is a single rotatable disc that has a central relatively flat radial area surrounded and integrally formed with a continuous wall. The disc is spaced inwardly from the liquid inlet so that when the disc is rotated and liquid is impinged upon the disc a cooling liquid droplet cloud is produced. At the opposite end of the condenser housing from the inlet is an air outlet and a concentrically positioned rotatable blower. Located between the blower and the rotatable disc is a rotatable water wheel for collecting entrained liquid droplets before they pass into the blower. Circumferentially around the rotatable water wheel is a tangential turbine liquid pump that removes liquid from the condenser apparatus. An electric motor is utilized for rotatably driving all of the rotating elements. The condenser apparatus is utilized particularly in an automatic clothes dryer wherein hot moisture-laden air that has been passed over the fabrics to be dried is introduced into the condenser apparatus which reduces the temperature of the air to condense moisture therefrom and then recirculates the air again through the clothes dryer.

United States Patent [191 Condit CONDENSER APPARATUS Robert E. Condit, Louisville, Ky.

[73] Assignee: General Electric Company,

Lousiville, Ky.

[22] Filed: Oct. 23, 1973 [2]] Appl. No.: 408,459

[75] lnventor:

Primary Examiner-Kenneth W. Sprague Assistant Examiner-James C. Yeung Attorney, Agent, or FirmFrederick P. Weidner; Francis H. Boos [57] ABSTRACT Condenser apparatus for removing moisture from the 1 1 Jan. 7, 1975 air including a housing for the condenser apparatus, which housing has both a cooling liquid inlet and an air inlet at one end. Within the housing is a single rotatable disc that has a central relatively flat radial area surrounded and integrally formed with a continuous wall. The disc is spaced inwardly from the liquid inlet so that when the disc is rotated and liquid is impinged upon the disc a cooling liquid droplet cloud is produced. At the opposite end of the condenser housing from the inlet is an air outlet and a concentrically positioned rotatable blower. Located between the blower and the rotatable disc is a rotatable water wheel for collecting entrained liquid droplets before they pass into the blower. Circumferentially around the rotatable water wheel is a tangential turbine liquid pump that removes liquid from the condenser apparatus. An electric motor is utilized for rotatably driving all of the rotating elements. The condenser apparatus is utilized particularly in an automatic clothes dryer wherein hot moisture-laden air that has been passed over the fabrics to be dried is introduced into the condenser apparatus which reduces the temperature of the air to condense moisture therefrom and then recirculates the air again through the clothes dryer.

12 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEUJAN ms SHEET 10F 4 F/GJ 1 CONDENSER APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to condenser apparatus, and more particularly to condenser apparatus for utilization in an automatic clothes dryer so that warm moistureladen air from the clothes dryer is cooled and moisture removed therefrom.

2. Description of the Prior Art In automatic clothes dryers it is common to vent the warm moisture-laden exhaust air or vapor outside the machine and preferably even outside the house or building while air is constantly being introduced into the clothes dryer, heated and passed over the fabrics to be dried. It is not, however, always possible and, in fact, it may not be desirable to provide such a venting system for automatic clothes dryers in apartments or other high rise housing establishments. In drying fabrics in a clothes dryer it is highly desirable to be able to heat the air, pass the heated air over the fabrics to be dried and withdraw moisture therefrom, remove the hot moisture-laden air from the fabrics and introduce it into an apparatus that lowers the temperature of the moistureladen air thereby condensing out moisture from the air, then recirculate the air through the clothes dryer.

Condensing apparatus has been utilized in laundry machines, both combination clothes washers and dryers and automatic clothes dryers, for many years. One such condensing apparatus is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,451,692 wherein moist air is passed through a water spray from a nozzle that is also used to effect movement of the air; the free water from the spray is to be removed by a stationary screen. Another type of condensing apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,785,557 wherein only a controlled portion of the moist air is passed through a dehumidifier. U.S. Pat. No. 2,921,384 shows apparatus that uses an impeller to circulate air that also has the cooling water discharged directly against the impeller, however, there is no free water collection means provided. U.S. Pat. No. 3,121,000 utilizes a condensing arrangement that produces a coherent film of water on a channel wall to avoid entrainment of water droplets.

Condenser apparatus for automatic clothes dryers must be efficient in operation, low in manufacturing cost, and economical to operate in order to make it desirable. Moreover, it should be compact and of a size such that it can be easily installed in present standard size clothes dryers.

To accomplish the above-mentioned desirable characteristics in a condenser apparatus, one of the main areas that has needed improvement is a means for producing a highly effective liquid droplet cloud through which the hot moisture-laden air from the dryer is passed. Such a droplet producing means must be capable of forming a high concentration of discreet relatively large liquid droplets to lower the temperature of the moistureladen air as quickly as possible while it is passing through the droplet cloud. If the droplets are too small in size they are readily entrained by the air. Entrainment of free liquid is particularly troublesome when the blower that induces the air flow through the condenser apparatus is downstream from the liquid droplet cloud. Too much air entrainment of free liquid can detrimentally affect the efficiency of the entire condenser apparatus. Also, since the condenser apparatus may be utilized in an automatic clothes dryer it is desirable to minimize expelling free liquid from the condenser apparatus into the clothes dryer system. Moreover, since the condenser dryer may be adapted for installation into present standard size clothes dryers, the condensing chamber containing the liquid droplet cloud must necessarily be limited in axial length. Therefore, to accomplish the necessary air cooling over the limited axial length, the liquid droplet dispersion means directly affectsthe efficiency of the entire condenser apparatus and the clothes dryer wherein it is utilized.

Rotating discs for producing liquid droplets have been used in apparatus for humidifying air. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,730,866 where atomized water impinges upon the disc downstream of the fan to be further broken up into a fine mist or vapor. U.S. Pat. No. 1,914,812 also uses a disc downstream of the fan to spread finely divided water particles throughout the at mosphere of a room. The arrangements shown in those patents, however, are specifically to provide for increasing the amount of moisture by producing finely divided water particles and expelling them from a humidifier into a room for humidification.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION There is provided condenser apparatus for removing moisture from the air and particularly a condenser apparatus that is utilized in connection with an automatic clothes dryer and includes a housing for the condenser apparatus, which housing has both a cooling liquid inlet and an air inlet at one end, an air outlet at the opposite end of the housing, and a condensing chamber therebetween. This invention relates to utilizing in such a condenser apparatus a single improved rotatable disc axially spaced inwardly from the liquid inlet and positioned within the condenser housing. The disc has a central relatively flat radial area surrounded and integrally formed with a continuous wall slanting upwardly and outwardly relative to the central area and in the direction of the liquid inlet means and terminating at a circular periphery. The liquid introduced through the liquid inlet impinges upon the central relatively flat radial area of the disc which is rotated and the centrifugal force acting on the liquid causes the liquid to fonn a sheet or film and move up the continuous wall and be radially thrown from the periphery of the disc in the form of droplets in a plane normal to the axis of rotation of the disc. The droplets are intercepted by the inside of the condenser housing and deflected and form a cooling liquid droplet cloud in the condensing chamber.

Near the air outlet of the condenser apparatus in which this disc improvement invention is utilized there is positioned a rotatable blower for inducing an air flow through the condenser apparatus from the air inlet to the air outlet passing through the liquid droplet cloud. Located between the blower and the disc, also positioned within the condenser housing, is a means, such as a rotatable water wheel, for collecting entrained liquid droplets before they can pass into the blower. Circumferentially around the liquid droplet collecting means is a tangential turbine liquid pump that removes both the introduced cooling liquid and the moisture condensed from the air from the condenser apparatus to a drain external of the condenser apparatus. Means for rotatably driving all of the rotating elements is also provided.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved rotatable disc for producing liquid droplets for use in condenser apparatus.

It is another object of this invention to provide an im- BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an automatic clothes dryer suitable for incorporation of the condenser apparatus utilizing the present invention, the view being partly broken away and partly in section to illustrate details.

FIG. 2 is a view taken along the lines 22 of FIG. 1 showing the condenser apparatus installed in the automatic clothes dryer.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational, cross-sectional view of the condenser apparatus utilizing the invention.

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the condenser apparatus shown in FIG. 3 taken along lines 4-4 and partially broken away to illustrate details.

FIG. 5 is a partially cut away perspective view of the disc.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the disc taken in a vertical plane through the central longitudinal axis of the disc.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings and initially to FIG. 1 thereof, there is illustrated a domestic automatic clothes dryer 10 including an appearance and protective outer cabinet 11 having a door or closure 12 to provide access into the interior of the cabinet for loading and unloading fabrics. Provided on the top 13 of cabinet 11 is a control housing 14 which may, in a conventional way, include a suitable manual control 15 connected to a control assembly 16 mounted in the control housing 14. By manual setting of control 15, the machine may be caused to start and automatically proceed through a cycle operation.

Within cabinet 11, there is provided a clothes tumbling container or drum 17 mounted for rotation on a substantially horizontal axis. Drum 17 is substantially cylindrical in shape, having a central cylindrical wall portion 18, and outer cylindrical wall portions 19 and 20, located respectively adjacent an annular front wall 21 and a circular rear wall 22 of the drum. Wall portions l8, l9 and are imperforate while rear wall 22 has a plurality of perforations 33. On the interior surface of wall portion 18 there is a plurality of clothes tumbling ribs 23 so that clothes are lifted up when the drum rotates, and then permitted to tumble back down to the bottom of the drum. The front of the drum 17 may be rotatably supported within outer cabinet 11 by suitable slide members or idler wheels, one of the latter of which is indicated by the numeral 24.

The rear end of drum 17 receives its support by means of a stub shaft 27 extending from the'center of wall 22. Shaft 27 is secured within a bearing 28 mounted in a baffle-like structure 29 which, in turn, is rigidly secured to the back wall 30 of the cabinet 11.

In order to provide for the flow of drying air through the clothes drum, it is provided with a central aperture 32 in the front wall 21 and a plurality of perforations 33 in the rear wall 22. The air provided to the drum is heated as by an. electrical resistance heating element 37, the element being the form shown in the drawings, which issues from theoutlet 34 of the heating unit 35.

Heating unit 35 includes a heater housing 36 and the electrical resistance heating element 37. In the conventional way, air is drawn into the heating unit 35 through an inlet opening 38 (FIG. 2) and is warmed as it passes over and through the electrical resistance heating element 37 and then out the heater outlet 34. i

The outlet end 34 of the heating unit communicates with an upwardly extending duct 45, which enters a generally circular heat diffuser chamber 47 formed between the structure 29 and the rear wall 22 of drum 17. A flexible circumferential seal 39 is interposed between member 29 and rear wall 22 of the drum to provide a rear drum airseal and is secured to member 29 and contacts the rear wall of the rotating drum. The heated air flows from the chamber 47 through the perforations 33 into the interior of the drum l7.

The front opening 32 of the drum is substantially closed by means of a bulkhead generally indicated by the numeral 50. Bulkhead 50 is made up of a number of adjacent members including the inner surface 51 of the access door 12, a stationary frame 52 formed as a flange on front wall 46 of the cabinet and a front door liner 42.

A transition duct 62 is formed by joining together cavity member 54 and cavity member 53 at an annular flange 55. It will be noted that a suitable clearance is provided between the inner edge of aperture 32 and the edge of frame 52 so that there is no rubbing between the drum and the frame during rotation of the drum. In order to prevent substantial air leakage through the aperture 32, a suitable front drum ring seal 56 is secured to the flange 65 in sealing relationship with the exterior surface of the drum wall 21.

Door 12 is mounted on cabinet 11 so that when the door is opened fabrics may be inserted into and removed from the drum through the door frame 52.

The air outlet from the drum is provided by a perforated opening 59 formed in the inner wall 51 of the hollow door. The bottom wall section of door 12 and the adjacent wall of door frame 52 are provided with aligned openings 60 and 61, opening 61 providing an entrance to the duct 62. A lint trap 63 may be positioned in the duct 62 within opening 61 and supported by the door frame 52. Duct 62 leads downwardly and communicates with condenser housing 64. It is within the condenser housing that the hot moisture-laden air is cooled which causes moisture to be removed from the air prior to reintroducing the air into the heating unit 35 and then recirculated through the clothes dryer.

With reference to FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 in particular, the operation and construction of the condenser apparatus will now be explained. The condenser apparatus includes a housing 64 which is cylindrical or drum shaped and has an air inlet 66 located at the front of the condenser unit which is also near the front of the clothes dryer. I-Iot moisture-laden air from the drum is introduced into the condenser unit through the air inlet 66 by a transition duct 62 (FIG. 1) between the drum and the air inlet. Also located at the same end of thecondenser housing 64 is a liquid inlet means 70 which may conveniently be a hose or tubular conduit 72 supported by structure 74 secured in a suitable fashion to the condenser housing. The structure 74 secures and positions the tubular conduit 72 substantially on the longitudinal axis of the condenser housing 64 with the end 73 of the conduit 72 directed into the condenser apparatus.-The liquid introduced into the condenser apparatus by means of the tubular conduit 72 passes through a solenoid operated control valve (not shown) and is in the form of a stream. The liquid is furnished from a source external of the clothes dryer such as a household faucet. Spaced axially from the liquid inlet means 70 is a single rotatable disc 76. The details of disc 76 can be clearly seen in FIGS. 5 and 6. The disc 76 has a central relatively flat radial area 40, a hub 43, and a continuous wall 41 slanting upwardly and outwardly relative to the central area 40. The continuous wall 41 terminates at a circular lip or periphery 44. Thisdisc can be manufactured by molding from a variety of synthetic plastic compositions, such as polypropylene, or some other suitable moldable material. The material or composition from which it is made should, of course, be compatible with the environmental conditions involved.

With reference to FIG. 6, the profile of the disc, as viewed in a vertical plane through the longitudinal central axis of the disc can be readily seen. The longitudinal central axis is designated in FIG. 6 as line a-b. The continuous wall 41 diverges from the central axis line a-b in a direction away from the flat area 40 and hub 43. Line o-d represents one side of continuous wall 41 and line 2-) represents the opposite side thereof. The continuous wall 41 is straight and, if extended, toward the hub 43, would intersect at point P, as shown by the intersection of lines c-d and e-f. The included angle formed by intersecting lines c-d and e-f is designated X in FIG. 6 and is the angle referred to herein as the included angle formed by the diverging opposite continuous wall sections as viewed when a plane is passed vertically through the central longitudinal axis of the disc. The intersection of lines c-d and e-f at point Pis on the central axis line a-b; therefore, the central axis line ab bisects the included angle X. The included angle X formed by the opposite continuous wall 41 is substantially bisected by the central longitudinal axis and the included angle X is from about 110 degrees to about 130 degrees.

At the opposite end of the condenser housing 64 from the liquid inlet means 70 is a blower 78 for inducing air to flow from the air inlet 66 to an air outlet 80. The blower 78 not only induces air flow through the condenser apparatus but causes the air to flow through the entire clothes dryer so that only a single blower is needed. The blower in this embodiment consists of rotatable blower wheel having a plurality of blades 82 secured as by molding to circular plate 83 and a confining air space 84 surrounding the blower wheel for developing sufficient air pressure within the blower to induce the abovementioned air flow through the entire clothes dryer including the condenser unit. Positioned within the condenser housing 64 and located between the rotatable disc 76 and the blower 78 is a liquid droplet collecting means 86 which in the present preferred embodiment described is in the form of a rotatable water wheel having a plurality of spaced blades 88 which extend radially outward from the axis of rotation of the wheel. The axial depth of blades 88 is such that they extend from the blower wheel 78 into the condensing chamber 90. The blades 88 are integrally formed with a hub 92 and are spaced so that air flowing through the condenser apparatus may flow through the spaces between the radial blades 88 and into the blower. Surrounding the water droplet collecting means 86 is a tangential turbine pump 94 which consists of a rotatable U-shaped inner wall 96 and a stationary outer pump wall 98 which cooperate with each other to provide a pump cavity 100 therebetween. The outer pump wall 98 may be integrally formed with the condenser housing. Also forming one part of the pump 94 is a circumferential wall member 99 that is stationary and secured to the inside of the condenser housing and inwardly depending therefrom. Rotation of the inner pump wall 96 forces the liquid to be accelerated circumferentially by rotational force and discharged through the pump discharge outlet 102. The discharge outlet 102 is connected by suitable means to a drain outside of the clothes dryer.

Located at the bottom of the condenser housing 64 is a sump 104 which performs as an axially liquid discharge outlet from the condenser apparatus should the pump 94 fail to operate. The sump 104 consists of a reservoir 106 formed by surrounding a wall area 108 and a liquid discharge outlet 109 which may be formed integrally with the condenser housing 64. The sump liquid discharge outlet 109 is arranged to be spaced from and located below the liquid inlet means 70 to provide an air gap therebetween. Plumbing codes generally require a sufficient air gap in association with the water inlet, so that if a negative pressure is produced in the water line, only air will be taken in. It can be seen in FIG. 4 that if the condenser pump 94 fails to operate liquid accumulates in the condenser apparatus sump until it overflows, thus providing an air gap in the system between the discharge outlet 109 and liquid inlet end 73. If desired, means for discontinuing operation of the condenser apparatus responsive to the auxiliary liquid discharge may be provided. One such means could be an externally located float mechanism activated by overflow liquid discharged from the condenser.

At the rear of the condenser housing 64 is a rear wall 110 which forms part of the condenser housing. The rear wall 110 together with cylindrical wall section 111 of housing 64 and inwardly directed circular flange 113 form the blower chamber 84. Secured to the rear wall 110 on the opposite side from the blower chamber 84 is an electric motor 112 which may be suitably attached to the rear wall as by bolts 114. The electric motor has a rotatable shaft extending through an aperture 116 in the rear wall 110 close to the central longitudinal axis of the condenser apparatus. Secured to this motor shaft 115, which extends into the condenser housing, are the four rotatable elements of the condenser apparatus, namely, the blower 78, the water droplet collecting means or water wheel 86, inner wall 96 of the pump 94 and the disc 76. The single motor 112 rotatably drives all four of these condenser apparatus elements.

The motor shaft also extends rearward of the motor in the opposite direction from the condenser apparatus and is utilized to rotate drum 17. In order to effect this rotation, motor 112 is provided with a shaft portion 118 having a small pulley 120 secured to the end thereof. Around the pulley 120 and seated in groove 121 and entirely around the cylindrical wall section 18 of drum 17 is a movable belt 122. The relative circumference of the pulley 120 and the wall section 18 of the drum 17 causes the drum to be drivenby the motor at a speed suitable toeffect tumbling of fabrics to be dried in the drum. in order to effect proper tensioning of the belt 122, a suitable idler assembly 124 is secured to the same support 126' which supports one end of the motor.

The air exiting the condenser apparatus through air outlet 80 passes via duct 128 into the heating unit for heating the air and recirculating it into the clothes dryer drum 17.

The operation of the condenser and dryer apparatus is as follows: Hot moisture-laden air that has been passed through the clothes dryer drum and picked up moisture from the fabrics tumbled therein is introduced into the condenser unit through the air inlet opening 66 while a stream of cooling liquid is being introduced into the condenser unit through tubular conduit 72. When the condenser apparatus is operating the electric motor provides for simultaneous rotation of the blower 78, droplet collecting water wheel 86, inner wall 96 of pump 94 and disc 76. As disc 76 is being rotated the stream of liquid being introduced impinges onto the flat center area of the rapidly rotating disc. The liquid striking the rotating surface 40 is acted upon by centrifugal force causing the liquid to spread into a film or sheet and swirl and travel up the inclined inner wall surface 129 of the continuous wall 41 of the disc 76 to the periphery 44 thereof and from there thrown outwardly in the form of liquid droplets 130. The generally radial flight of the liquid droplets 130 is interrupted by the inner surface 132 of the condenser housing 64 whereupon the liquid droplets are deflected back toward the center of the condenser chamber 90, this in effect produces a curtain or cloud of liquid droplets within the condensing chamber 90 while the incoming hot moisture-laden air from the dryer drum flows through this resultant liquid droplet cloud. By using a rotatable disc 76 as above-described a single disc may be used in the condenser which affords several advantages. The single disc may be positioned in close proximity to the air inlet 66 so that the liquid droplets 130 leaving the disc periphery 44 are more remote from the rear of the condenser chamber 90 than otherwise for a given condenser chamber 90 axial length. It will be appreciated that the condenser chamber 90 length is restricted or limited in order to be able to incorporate the condenser apparatus in space available in standard size clothes dryers. It is important to have the liquid droplets within the condenser chamber 90 remote from the liquid droplet collecting means 86 and blower 78 in order to minimize air entrainment of the liquid droplets into these components. Moreover, my disc arrangement produces a pattern of discreet liquid droplets to help minimize their entrainment. If the electric motor 112 shaft rotates at approximately 1725 revolutions per minute and the disc 76 having a diameter of 4% inches also rotates at the same speed the disc periphery would have a rotating velocity of approximately 34 feet per second. Then if the stream of liquid impinging onto the disc has a flow rate of 0.30 to 0.48 gallons per minute good air cooling is achieved with little entrainment of the resultant liquid droplets.

With my disc configuration good liquid droplet dispersion is achieved with minimum droplet entrainment within a restricted condenser chamber length. The hot moisture-laden air in contact with the cooler liquid droplets causes the air temperature to be lowered and the moisture condensed therefrom. Because the air flowing through the condenser chamber may entrain some liquid droplets the water droplet collecting means 86 is positioned upstream of the blower 78 between the disc 76 and blower 78 so that entrained liquid droplets are essentially collected by the rotating blades 88 and deposited in an underlying liquid bath 133 which is in communication with the pump 94 through an opening 134. lt will be understood that simultaneously with the introduction of cooling liquid into the condenser apparatus through the tubular conduit 72 that liquid will also be removed from the condenser apparatus by the pump 94 at a rate such that only a small amount of liquid is in the liquid bath 133 at a given time during operation of the condenser apparatus. The now cooled air reaches the blower 78 which applies air pressure to induce the air flow and force-the air out of the condenser apparatus through air outlet 80 for introduction into the heating unit 35 and again recirculate through the clothes dryer.

The foregoing is a description of the preferred em bodiment of the invention and variations may be made thereto without departing from the true spirit of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. Condenser apparatus for removing moisture from air by passing moisture-laden air through a cloud of cooling liquid droplets having:

a. a housing,

b. liquid inlet means at one end of said housing for.

introducing a stream of liquid into the housing essentially along the central axis of the housing,

c. air inlet means at said one end of the housing,

d. air outlet means at the end of the housing opposite the air inlet means,

e. a rotatable blower for inducing air to flow from the air inlet means to the air outlet means,

f. means for collecting liquid droplets which is positioned within the housing and located between the disc and blower,

g.-means for removing liquid from the condenser apparatus, and

h. means for driving the rotatable components, the improvement comprising a single rotatable disc positioned within the housing and axially spaced from said liquid inlet means, said disc having a hub, a continuous wall slanting upwardly and outwardly relative to the hub and in the direction of the liquid inlet means and terminates at a circular periphery.

2. The condenser apparatus of claim 1 wherein between the hub and continuous wall of the disc is a central, relatively flat, radial area from which the continuous wall departs.

3. The condenser apparatus of claim 2 wherein the liquid inlet is arranged to impinge the liquid stream onto the central, relatively flat, radial area of the disc.

4. The condenser apparatus of claim 1 wherein the opposite sides of the continuous slanting wall of the disc, as viewed in cross-sectional plane through the longitudinal central axis, converge toward each other in the direction of the hub with the included angle formed by said converging side walls is from about 1 10 degrees to about degrees.

5. The condenser dryer apparatus of claim 1 wherein the rate of liquid flow introduced by the inlet means is in the range of 0.30 to 0.48 gallons per minute and the peripheral velocity of the disc is approximately 34 feet per second.

6. Condenser apparatus for removing moisture from air by passing mositure-laden air through a cloud of cooling liquid droplets having:

a. a housing,

b. liquid inlet means at one end of said housing for introducing a stream of liquid into the housing essentially along the central axis of the housing,

c. air inlet means at said one end of the housing,

d. air outlet means at the end of the housing opposite the air inlet means,

e. a rotatable blower for inducing air to flow from the air inlet means to the air outlet means,

f. a rotatable water wheel for collecting liquid droplets which is positioned within the housing and located between the disc and blower,

g. a pump for removing liquid from the condenser apparatus, and

h. a motor for driving the rotatable components including the pump, the improvement comprising a single rotatable disc positioned within the housing and axially spaced from said liquid inlet means, said disc having a hub, a continuous wall slanting upwardly and outwardly relative to the hub and in the direction of the liquid inlet means and terminates at a circular periphery, a central relatively flat, radial area between the hub and continuous wall, said continuous slanting wall of the disc, as viewed in cross-sectional plane through the longitudinal central axis, converge toward each other in the direction of the hub with the included angle formed by said converging side walls being from about 110 degrees to about 130 degrees, said disc being rotated at a peripheral velocity of approximately 34 feed per second while the liquid flow rate introduced by the inlet means is in the range of 0.30 to 0.48 gallons per minute.

7. In an automatic clothes dryer machine having a cabinet, a drum mounted for rotation within the cabinet to tumble clothes to be dried, means for passing air through the drum and heating means to heat the air, and a condenser apparatus through which the air passes to be cooled and remove moisture, the condenser apparatus having:

a. a housing,

b. liquid inlet means at one end of said housing for introducing a stream of liquid into the housing essentially along the central axis of the housing,

c. air inlet means at said one end of the housing,

d. air outlet means at the end of the housing opposite the air inlet means,

e. a blower for inducing air to flow from the air inlet means to the air outlet means,

f. a rotatable water wheel for collecting liquid droplets which is positioned within the housing and located between the disc and blower,

g. means for removing liquid from the condenser apparatus, and

h. means for driving the rotatable components, the improvement comprising a single rotatable disc positioned within the housing and axially spaced from said liquid inlet means, said disc having a hub, a continuous wall slanting upwardly and outwardly relative to the hub and in the direction of the liquid inlet means and terminates at a circular periphery.

8. In the automatic clothes dryer of claim 7 wherein between the hub and continuous wall of the disc is a central, relatively flat, radial area from which the continuous wall departs.

9. In the automatic clothes dryer of claim 7 wherein the liquid inlet is arranged to impinge the liquid stream onto the central, relatively flat, radial area of the disc.

10. [n th automatic clothes dryer of claim 7 wherein the opposite sides of the continuous slanting wall of the disc, as viewed in cross-sectional plane through the iongitudinal central axis, converge toward each other in the direction of the hub with the included angle formed by said converging side walls is from about 1 10 degrees to about 130 degrees.

1 1. In the automatic clothes dryer of claim 7 wherein the rate of liquid flow introduced by the inlet means is in the range of 0.30 to 0.48 gallons per minute and the peripheral velocity of the disc is approximately 34 feet per second.

12. In an automatic clothes dryer machine having a cabinet, a drum mounted for rotation within the cabinet to tumble clothes to be dried, means for passing air through the drum and heating means to heat the air, and a condenser apparatus through which the air passes to be cooled and remove moisture, the condenser apparatus having:

a. a housing,

b. liquid inlet means at one end of said housing for introducing a stream of liquid into the housing essentially along the central axis of the housing,

c. air inlet means at said one end of the housing,

d. air outlet means at the end of the housing opposite the air inlet means,

e. a rotatable blower for inducing air to flow from the air inlet means to the air outlet means,

f. a rotatable water wheel for collecting liquid droplets which is positioned within the housing and lo cated between the disc and blower,

g. a pump for removing liquid from the condenser apparatus, and

h. a motor for driving the rotatable components including the pump, the improvement comprising a single rotatable disc positioned within the housing and axially spaced from said liquid inlet means, said disc having a hub, a continuous wall slanting upwardly and outwardly relative to the hub and in the direction of the liquid inlet means and terminates at a circular periphery, a central relatively flat, radial area between the hub and continuous wall, said continuous slanting wall of the disc, as viewed in cross-sectional plane through the longitudinal central axis, converge toward each other in the direction of the hub with the included angle formed by said converging side walls is from about degrees to about degrees, said disc being rotated at a peripheral velocity of approximately 34 feet per second while the liquid flow rate introduced by the inlet means is in the range of 0.30 to 0.48 gallons per minute. 

1. Condenser apparatus for removing moisture from air by passing moisture-laden air through a cloud of cooling liquid droplets having: a. a housing, b. liquid inlet means at one end of said housing for introducing a stream of liquid into the housing essentially along the central axis of the housing, c. air inlet means at said one end of the housing, d. air outlet means at the end of the housing opposite the air inlet means, e. a rotatable blower for inducing air to flow from the air inlet means to the air outlet means, f. means for collecting liquid droplets which is positioned within the housing and located between the disc and blower, g. means for removing liquid from the condenser apparatus, and h. means for driving the rotatable components, the improvement comprising a single rotatable disc positioned within the housing and axially spaced from said liquid inlet means, said disc having a hub, a continuous wall slanting upwardly and outwardly relative to the hub and in the direction of the liquid inlet means and terminates at a circular periphery.
 2. The condenser apparatus of claim 1 wherein between the hub and continuous wall of the disc is a central, relatively flat, radial area from which the continuous wall departs.
 3. The condenser apparatus of claim 2 wherein the liquid inlet is arranged to impinge the liquid stream onto the central, relatively flat, radial area of the disc.
 4. The condenser apparatus of claim 1 wherein the opposite sides of the continuous slanting wall of the disc, as viewed in cross-sectional plane through the longitudinal central axis, converge toward each other in the direction of the hub with the included angle formed by said converging side walls is from about 110 degrees to about 130 degrees.
 5. The condenser dryer apparatus of claim 1 wherein the rate of liquid flow introduced by the inlet means is in the range of 0.30 to 0.48 gallons per minute and the peripheral velocity of the disc is approximately 34 feet per second.
 6. Condenser apparatus for removing moisture from air by passing mositure-laden air through a cloud of cooling liquid droplets having: a. a housing, b. liquid inlet means at one end of said housing for introducing a stream of liquid into the housing essentially along the central axis of the housing, c. air inlet means at said one end of the housing, d. air outlet means at the end of the housing opposite the air inlet means, e. a rotatable blower for inducing air to flow from the air inlet means to the air outlet means, f. a rotatable water wheel for collecting liquid droplets which is positioned within the housing and located between the disc and blower, g. a pump for removing liquid from the condenser apparatus, and h. a motor for driving the rotatable components including the pump, the improvement comprising a single rotatable disc positioned within the housing and axially spaced from said liquid inlet means, said disc having a hub, a continuous wall slanting upwardly and outwardly relative to the hub and in the direction of the liquid inlet means and terminates at a circular periphery, a central relatively flat, radial area between the hub and continuous wall, said continuous slanting wall of the disc, as viewed in cross-sectional plane through the longitudinal central axis, converge toward each other in the direction of the hub with the included angle formed by said converging side walls being from about 110 degrees to about 130 degrees, said disc being rotated at a peripheral velocity of approximately 34 feed per second while the liquid flow rate introduced by the inlet means is in the range of 0.30 to 0.48 gallons per minute.
 7. In an automatic clothes dryer machine having a cabinet, a drum mounted for rotation within the cabinet to tumble clothes to be dried, means for passing air through the drum and heating means to heat the air, and a condenser apparatus through which the air passes to be cooled and remove moisture, the condenser apparatus having: a. a housing, b. liquid inlet means at one end of said housing for introducing a stream of liquid into the housing essentially along the central axis of the housing, c. air inlet means at said one end of the housing, d. air outlet means at the end of the housing opposite the air inlet means, e. a blower for inducing air to flow from the air inlet means to the air outlet means, f. a rotatable water wheel for collecting liquid droplets which is positioned within the housing and located between the disc and blower, g. means for removing liquid from the condenser apparatus, and h. means for driving the rotatable components, the improvement comprising a single rotatable disc positioned within the housing and axially spaced from said liquid inlet means, said disc having a hub, a continuous wall slanting upwardly and outwardly relative to the hub and in the direction of the liquid inlet means and terminates at a circular periphery.
 8. In the automatic clothes dryer of claim 7 wherein between the hub and continuous wall of the disc is a central, relatively flat, radial area from which the continuous wall departs.
 9. In the automatic clothes dryer of claim 7 wherein the liquid inlet is arranged to impinge the liquid stream onto the central, relatively flat, radial area of the disc.
 10. In th automatic clothes dryer of claim 7 wherein the opposite sides of the continuous slanting wall of the disc, as viewed in cross-sectional plane through the longitudinal central axis, converge toward each other in the direction of the hub with the included angle formed by said converging side walls is from about 110 degrees to about 130 degrees.
 11. In the automatic clothes dryer of claim 7 wherein the rate of liquid flow introduced by the inlet means is in the range of 0.30 to 0.48 gallons per minute and the peripheral velocity of the disc is approximately 34 feet per second.
 12. In an automatic clothes dryer machine having a cabinet, a drum mounted for rotation within the cabinet to tumble clothes to be dried, means for passing air through the drum and heating means to heat the air, and a condenser apparatus through which the air passes to be cooled and remove moisture, the condenser apparatus having: a. a housing, b. liquid inlet means at one end of said housing for introducing a stream of liquid into the housing essentially along the central axis of the housing, c. air inlet means at said one end of the housing, d. air outlet means at the end of the housing opposite the air inlet means, e. a rotatable blower for inducing air to flow from the air inlet means to the air outlet means, f. a rotatable water wheel for collecting liquid droplets which is positioned within the housing and located between the disc and blower, g. a pump for removing liquid from the condenser apparatus, and h. a motor for driving the rotatable components including the pump, the improvement comprising a single rotatable disc positioned within the housing and axially spaced from said liquid inlet means, said disc having a hub, a continuous wall slanting upwardly and outwardly relative to the hub and in the direction of the liquid inlet means and terminates at a circular periphery, a central relatively flat, radial area between the hub and continuous wall, said continuous slanting wall of the disc, as viewed in cross-sectional plane through the longitudinal central axis, converge toward each other in the direction of the hub with the included angle formed by said converging side walls is from about 110 degrees to about 130 degrees, said disc being rotated at a peripheral velocity of approximately 34 feet per second while the liquid flow rate introduced by the inlet means is in the range of 0.30 to 0.48 gallons per minute. 